It is known for marinas and the like to rent out berths for vessels. However, if a boat-owner does not have a space rented in advance in a particular location then he/she may not be able to stay there. Similarly, parking spaces for cars and the like are conventionally either allocated on a long-term basis (e.g. residential street parking) or on an ad-hoc basis upon arrival at a car park (e.g. “pay and display” ticketing machines or street parking). It is not uncommon for vehicles to be taken to a particular location without knowing until they arrive whether or not there are any spaces available. There is therefore a need to be able to allocate areas, such as boat berths or parking spaces, to users of vehicles in a reliable and convenient manner.
Embodiments of the present invention are intended to address at least some of the above mentioned problems. Some embodiments can accurately obtain information in a real-time manner regarding availability of spaces, thereby ensuring that a space will actually be available for the vehicle when it is taken there.